by LORRAINE CARPENTER

“It’s funny how easily we fell back into that ‘rock reggae revolution’ thing we had created for ourselves,” says Paul Cargnello. “It’s been a cathartic experience for all of us.”

The province-wide success of Cargnello’s agit-folk solo albums, Lightweight Romeo and Between Evils, has sparked new interest in the singer’s old band the Vendettas, who earned a local following over their seven years but released only one LP, 2000’s It’s Happening to You.

“We cut the Vendettas short,” Cargnello explains. “It was important for us to stay indie, yet we were getting kinda popular and it became a financial burden. In the end, I felt more like an administrator than an artist. Actually, I felt like I was gonna have a nervous breakdown, and we weren’t getting along either. It was like the Police—I was such a jackass that I had become Sting.”

After an independent, 500-run re-issue of the Vendettas’ album went the way of hotcakes last year, Quebec City’s Skeleton Records (named after the band’s song “Skeleton Day”) encouraged Cargnello to revisit the Vendettas’ vault.

The singer seized the opportunity to tighten up a dozen unrecorded songs, such as live favourite “Rebel Girl,” which were further shaped by bassist Adam Kardos and drummer Dave Hamelin, now with the Stills (another Vendettas alumnus, Diego DiGregorio, will play drums live). Guests Mikey Dangerous, Kali, Royal Doyle (aka ex-Planet Smasher Tim Doyle) and Stills singer Tim Fletcher were easily lured into the studio, where the crew rehearsed, recorded, mixed and mastered the album in a week. “These guys are all professionals, I think that’s why things moved so fast. We really took our time, we had crazy fun with it and the album was done in seven days.”

The result is Say No to the Vendettas, a hearty offering from the band’s trademark palette of punk, rockabilly, reggae and dub. But don’t call it a comeback. “This doesn’t mean we’re getting back together. This is really our last album, to put those songs to rest, and to say goodbye to the fans with a final show that we never had.”

CD launch with Kali at Casa del Popolo on Dec. 4, 9 p.m., $7

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